22nd MARCH 2022
Dn 3:25: 34-43, Mt 18:21-35
FORGIVENESS IS A SINE QUA NON ( Necessary act) FOR US CHRISTIANS LET'S IMITATE CHRIST and ask for his grace....
In the first reading we see, when the King of Babylon threw Daniel's three friends into the fiery furnace, they cried out to God to have mercy not only on themselves, but to have mercy upon all his people.* "Do not put us to shame, but deal with us in your forbearance and in your abundant mercy" (Dan 3:19-43). *The prophet Jeremiah reminds us that God's "mercies never come to an end - they are new every morning" (Lam 3:22-23).* God gives grace to the humble and he shows mercy to those who turn to him for healing and pardon.
God's mercy towards each one of us shows us the way that God wants each one of us to be merciful towards one another. When Peter posed the question of forgiveness and showing mercy to one's neighbor, he characteristically offered an answer he thought Jesus would be pleased with.Jesus made it clear that there is no reckonable limit to mercy and pardon. *And he drove the lesson home with a parable about two very different kinds of debts.*
Beloved, Forgiveness, if it is real, must affect everything about us. It is something that we must ask for, give, receive, and give again. The Lord wants us inturn to offer the same level of forgiveness and mercy that we hope to receive from God. There is no offense our neighbour can do to us that can compare with our debt to God! If God has forgiven each of us our own debt, which was very great, we, too must forgive others the debt they owe us. May HIS GRACE ENABLE US TO DO THIS. OH MERCIFUL JESUS HAVE MERCY ON US AND ON THE WHOLE WORLD.
Comments